Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

After pulling the plug on a deal to bring Samuel Eto'o to the club, Manchester City are also set to miss out on Carlos Tevez, who is in no rush to finalise his future with Chelsea reportedly also interested in the Argentine striker.(Daily Star) 
Alternatively, City will tie up a deal for Tevez before jetting out on their pre-season tour of South Africa on Wednesday.(The Sun) 
City will sign Tevez and are also set to increase the stakes in their pursuit of Chelsea defender and captain John Terry with a third bid worth £40m. (Daily Express) 
City captain Richard Dunne is determined not to leave Eastlands and is prepared to see out another season despite Stoke and Sunderland have each having £4m offers for the centre-back accepted.(Daily Express) 
Manchester United have targeted Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero and are willing to offer £30m plus Portuguese winger Nani to land the Argentine. (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has laughed off rumours linking the club with a move for French international midfielder Franck Ribery.(The Sun) 
However, Benitez is interested in Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole - the subject of a failed £5m bid from Sunderland on Friday - as a possible replacement for Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano, who have been linked with moves away from Anfield.(Independent) 
Arsenal can rest easy this summer after Russian forward Andrey Arshavin denied any interest in a move to Champions League holders Barcelona, and big-spending Real Madrid insisted they are not pursuing midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (Daily Express) 
Tottenham are set to make a last-ditch attempt to hijack Everton's plans to sign Sheffield United's England Under-21 right-back Kyle Naughton. (The Sun) 
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp wants Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones to be part of any deal that sees forward Darren Bent join the Black Cats. (Daily Mirror) 
Everton have launched a £12m bid for Standard Liege captain Stephen Defour, formerly the midfield partner of Toffees' record signing Marouane Fellaini at the Belgian club. (The Sun) 
Fulham are closing in on an £11m deal for Portsmouth and England striker Peter Crouch after agreeing to sell forward Bobby Zamora to Hull. (Daily Mail) 
Sunderland are also chasing Crouch but may have to raise their bid to £15m in order to land the striker after having an £11m offer rejected by Pompey.(The Times) 
Former Liverpool and Middlesbrough midfielder Boudewijn Zenden - currently with Marseille - claims Fulham want to bring him back to England to add experience to their forthcoming European campaign. (Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland have won the £6m fight to sign Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell, who was also a target for Hull, West Ham and Newcastle. (The Sun) 
Stoke are reeling after being snubbed by Rennes midfielder Stephane M'Bia, who has agreed to join Marseille in a £10m deal instead. (Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has given the green light to Aston Villa's £18m double swoop for Boro's attacking duo Stewart Downing and Tuncay. (The Sun) 
Arsenal's French defender Mikael Silvestre is a target for French champions Bordeaux. (Daily Mirror) 
Bolton want to sign Real Betis midfielder Achille Emana but are struggling to meet the £11m asking price. (The Sun) 
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is set to join the the chase for Aston Villa centre-back Zat Knight, who is also wanted by Bolton. (Daily Mirror) 
Burnley manager Owen Coyle is ready to clinch a £600,000 deal for Hamilton's Scottish Under-21 defender Brian Easton, who has expressed an interest in a move to the Premier League. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP

Alan Shearer is ready to walk out on Newcastle because he is sick of being kept in the dark over the club's future by owner Mike Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias. (The Sun) 
Chelsea want the future of captain John Terry - a £30m Manchester City target - sorted out before they depart for their pre-season tour of America on Thursday.(Daily Star) 
Indeed, Terry has insisted on a meeting with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to seek assurances about the club's future before committing himself to the Blues.(The Times) 
A host of stars are set to turn their back on playing in England because of the more favourable financial conditions in Spain, where tax is capped at 40% and big earners can pay as little as 24% tax if they exploit a loophole and acquire "foreign executive" status. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has emerged as firm favourite to return to Southampton as manager, more than five years after he quit the club. (Daily Express)

AND FINALLY

Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho has launched a bizarre new blast at old foe Carlo Ancelotti - formerly AC Milan boss but now in charge at Chelsea - saying, "They say of Ancelotti in England that he is Prince Charles. But I only know one Prince Charles - and that is the Prince of Wales. Ancelotti is no friend of mine."(The Sun) 
Manchester United players have been selecting their footballing heroes with club skipper Gary Neville selecting former Reds captain Bryan Robson, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney going for Diego Maradona and boss Alex Ferguson opting for United legend Denis Law.(The Sun)
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